b.cognosco

Who Spilled Merlot on the E-Book?. Electronic wine lists help diners at Aureole restaurants in Vegas and New York match their meals with the perfect vintage. Also: E-publish in minutes.... E-books en español.... and more in M.J. Rose's notebook.
[...] Almost instant e-books: In just 15 minutes, publishers can convert a text file to all seven major e-book formats. Working with existing source files, Seattle Book Company's Express ePublishing System streamlines the conversion process by eliminating repetitive data entry and proofing, as well as tasks related to distribution, marketing and sales.
That's good news to e-book publishers, who in the course of producing a new title typically handle the same data more than 10 times using a variety of production applications and website distribution forms, according to Electronic Book Web editor Glenn Sanders. Express ePublishing reduces the number of applications to one and eliminates redundant steps.
"The publisher is in complete control of the files," said Ted Treanor, president of Seattle Book Company. "We simply removed the technology hurdles inherent in electronic publishing."
As a result, Treanor said, it's much less expensive and time-consuming to publish an e-book. He estimated that publishers could recoup their up-front investment by selling fewer than 100 copies of an e-book. [...] [ Source: Wired News]

That's Entertainment -- PCs

9:09:47 PM

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I can see the line forming to get these beauties already. Microsoft leading the way, again...

New 'entertainment' PCs restrict copying
[...] Jodie Cadiuex, marketing manager of Windows Media Center, defends Microsoft's decision to copy protect TV programs recorded to the PC's hard drive.
"Microsoft is in a leadership position here where we've got an opportunity to help Hollywood feel comfortable with digital distribution and to help them develop (digital rights management) solutions so consumers can have content everywhere," she said. "We have two relationships we have to balance here: the consumer who wants the content and Hollywood so they feel comfortable with that process and don't clamp down and make that impossible." [...] [ Source: Business Week: Technology]

Not to be rude here, Jodie, but you just restricted the "everywhere" I can have my content to exactly one place -- your place. That may be everywhere to you, but your place is not where I want to go today, thanks.